A Mother Like Mine by Kate Hewitt

Author:Kate Hewitt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2017-08-08T04:00:00+00:00

17

Abby

“WHAT DO YOU THINK?”

Abby emerged from the dressing room of the wedding boutique in Cockermouth and looked doubtfully down at the bell-shaped pink tulle skirt that ended above the knee and the white lace top that her bridesmaid outfit comprised. She looked like a cross between a sugarplum fairy and a piece of bubble gum.

“I love it,” Lucy enthused. “It’s so fun.”

Abby looked at her friend’s bright smile and knew there was only one answer. “I love it too.”

“Do you, really?” Lucy asked, her enthusiasm morphing into concern. “Are you sure? I know it’s not . . . Well, I suppose it’s not elegant. . . .”

“No,” Abby agreed. “Not elegant, exactly.” It wasn’t something she could see, for example, her mother wearing.

“But I don’t want an elegant wedding. I hate the whole concept of elegance.” Lucy gave a theatrical shudder.

“The concept of elegance?”

“My mother,” Lucy explained with another deliberate shudder. “Elegance personified.”

Which was kind of like Abby’s mother, although in the last few weeks, as they’d been doing up the café, Laura had started to let herself go. It was still a bit of a shock to see Laura without a professionally made-up face, a sleek hairdo, the designer clothes. Actually, it was kind of nice. Abby felt less inferior, and less pressure to match her mother’s panache—not that she had ever really tried. But Laura in a fleece and worn jeans, her gray roots showing, and not a lick of makeup on her face—that was someone Abby was starting to think she could actually like.

“This dress is definitely you,” Abby said, because even if she looked like a piece of gum, it was a dress that looked lighthearted, promised fun. And, she dutifully reminded herself, it was Lucy’s day, after all. “How does Juliet feel about the dress?” she asked.

“I haven’t shown it to her yet,” Lucy admitted. “I have a feeling she’s going to resist.”

“A feeling?” Abby couldn’t keep from letting out a laugh. “I’d say that’s a massive understatement, Luce. But you’ve always been an optimist.”

“True.” Lucy grinned. “I’m putting off having her try it on so we won’t have time to find something else. Is that awful of me?”

“Strategic,” Abby answered. “What about your American friend? Chloe?”

“She’s bought it online and is fine with it,” Lucy said with a wave of her hand. “Really, it’s only Juliet that might botch things up.”

“I’ll just go change.” It might be Lucy’s wedding day, but Abby intended to wear the dress for as little time as possible. A pink bell-shaped skirt did not do her legs any favors. “What about your dress?” she called from behind the curtain as she slipped off the pink tulle. “Have you had your final fitting?”

“Not yet, but . . . do you want me to try it on?” Lucy’s voice bubbled with suppressed excitement and longing.

“Is it here? Sure.” Abby emerged from the dressing room in her usual wear of jeans and a fleece to see Lucy disappearing into a different one with a huge plastic-wrapped bundle.

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